Class of 18. No need for new school shoes

The Facebook group has grown considerably this year, so you are going to get a wide range of people.

On average, the parents do seem more involved in the young people's lives than you'd see on here, down to organising every last detail for them.

It started out as a group to ask questions, and share information, but has evolved into more of a support group for parents struggling to adjust to their son or daughter leaving home.

Delurking to say that the Facebook group are a bit on the obsessive side. This year group always comes across as pretty supportive to each other, but also quite calm as far as their offspring are concerned. Just to add that DS2 was very happy to move into a flat in South London for his second year after halls. So pleased to see the skyline and greenery and have a small living room between 3 of them.

Apparently according to the FB group we are a very judgemental lot. And which one of you told a 'poor woman' to get a grip...?

The FB group is totally off the scale. They are moaning about MN not being supportive.

Seemed to go ok. Just waiting to get invited into the special fostering group if I’ve passed. I’m a bit nervous about having another dog in the house to be honest but it’s definitely what I need to give some structure to my day and get me out in the fresh air.

Interesting cooking! DS mainly cooks for himself at university but has had several sets of friends round this summer for beer and curry - cooking together then eating and playing games. We ended up eating out one evening as his friends came round much earlier than I anticipated. He has made us some lovely meals too though.

Sundownne - he had 8 weeks of placement at 40 hours a week. He has thoroughly enjoyed it but was surprised at how exhausted he was, he is used to lectures and studying for 8 hours plus a day but office environment different. He has been offered another placement next summer, and a year in industry if he wants it, but his university don't allow that. So pleased he has got on well, quite a few people went out with him for leaving drinks and he was rather tiddly having been bought drinks all night by his ex colleagues! He doesn't usually drink more than a couple of pints, so all part of the learning curve!

Dd has only 6 hours of lectures this year and they are pretty spread out which is a bit of a bummer as she is hoping to work. She was told she had a job but not heard anything about hours yet.

Had my home check today.

5pm lectures a bit hard nohaudin. It's hard when they are taken out of their comfort zone.

Panda, how long 40 hrs? DD did that for about 5 weeks but is loving finally getting chill time! Your DS sounds like he has been extra busy! Good on him. So good for CV.

Frozen grill burgers. Yum!!! My son used suspect salt this week which was like powder on his food! Not sure what that was.

Ah, that is interesting Nohaudin DD’s elective is also her third choice and she has had difficulty with timetabling it too. She is going to have to watch most of the lectures online because they are in the central area, and she is mainly at the science buildings.

The flat share seems to be fine so far. They have agreed to take turns cooking with two boys and last night was the boys first attempt. They cooked cook from frozen grill burgers in a wok.

Hello all! Good to have found you again. So sorry to hear about difficult summers, the loss of beloved pets and illnesses.

DS has just finished his placement, and has another fortnight at home before he goes back. He has study to do but is, I think feeling a bit lost as he was working a 40 hour week plus commute and doesn't know what to do with himself!

Hi hardwick yes dd is back in the same room. She is enjoying the start of lectures though has had problems with her 'outside' subject and has ended up with her third choice. The course itself is ok but the lectures are at 5 pm which means she can't get to her preferred early slot for the evening meal. It is very noisy and busy later which she finds hard to cope with.
How is the flat sharing going?

Yes. Hope he will bronze gate. Thank you.

Sunndowne
Hope his new job goes well and hopefully he'll meet some nice people there. Does he do any sports or hobbies where he could join a local group?

DD goes back in 3 weeks. Only time she's been home so it's nice.
Sadly, I'm slightly worried for my older DS who has just moved back to his uni town to commute to a very good grad job. His flatmate, a lovely uni friend has lived at home thru most of uni and now doing a PHD wants to try to be independent. 2nd day in, she's gone to cinema with her mum. Hope my DS won't be lonely!! Starts job monday, hope has more new friends soon. Do feel a bit worried- will this stop????

Good luck with DH's op Ursula. Hope you are all enjoying the bittersweet peace that comes when they return to uni.

I am sorry about your sad news Ursula. They do leave a big hole don't they, especially when it gets to "that time of day' and you would normally be taking them out.

DDs cat has survived her first year away, which was pretty unexpected. He is only 17, but is creaky and quiet. We do worry about him.

It took me a minute to realise what you all meant when you spoke about buying the Testaments. I honestly thought I had missed a fashion for deep reading of the bible! I bought DD a book of interviews with female musicians this week as a start of term gift. She was delighted and told me she still had the tab open on her laptop from thinking about treating herself.

One of her course buddies has a different elective from her this semester, and found herself in a three hour lecture yesterday. I cannot even begin to imagine such hell!

@NoHaudinMaWheest is your DD back now too? Has she settled well back into halls?

I bought Ds the Testaments on the way to university town, at the WHSmith. He looked aghast at the fact that he might have to read something, but he is very interested in the Handmaid's Tale Dramatised series, and did it for A level (although I'm not sure if he actually ever read it properly). Oryx and Crake is wonderful too - has she read that? Dystopian, but different characters.

I'm ok thanks. I miss him terribly as he was always by my side. I have no reason to get up in the morning, nor to go out. Struggle sitting at my desk as he was always lying on my feet. But time heals.

Not got a date yet for DH's op. He has his pre OP this week so hoping to get a date then. I want to book a European city break with a friend for early next year so would like to know when he will be fit enough to drive and look after himself.

Dd is settling in to her y2 accommodation but has been incommunicado as she has been reading The Testaments. She sent me a text at 1.30 am to say she has finished it so I may need to drive over to collect it.

She is off to London tomorrow to see Tyler the Creator. 🙄

Ds has left behind the following essentials. The guide to Music Theory. Lives of the Composers. A Star is Born - Judy Garland version (which i have been nagging him to watch for the whole summer as he is obsessed by La La Land) The pillowcase that matches his duvet. His posters.

Ds1 is pathetically grateful when I buy him clothes. To the extent that I was thinking I could buy him yellow cords and a interesting colour woollen jumper to brighten his life up...he would wear them, whatever I bought.when he is cold and has run out of clean things.Have been v careful to buy cool colours up to now..black polonecks that sort of thing.
He buys himself horrid clothes from Primark when he is desperate for socks, clean teeshirts, so Im trying to avoid that scenario.
This last year has been brilliant for teaching him about laundry..he now expects no laundry services, and very much organises it himself, as so he should!!
We have heard nothing since I accompanied him back. He is over the moon about his new room, which is quite large, and near the river and the shops, an awkward triangle is taken out of it by the ensuite though..for some reason he has a room designed for wheelchair users, evidently there wasn't anyone who needed it this year, and it is part of a flat of 8 people. Another nice thing about the room is that the "front" door is incredibly light, and being dyspraxic he struggled with heavy fire doors so that is a bonus.The person opposite plays the clarinet, so I'm hoping this person will be a good influence and encourage him in cultural pursuits, whatever they may be! -not pub crawling
This year, I bought him no groceries, or anything really, except shampoo and soap, which I know he gets very worried about running out of. I did buy him an alarm clock, which he promptly dropped, and broke, - then in a complete tizzy about that..
He has left his box room at home/room in a fuggy state though - it feels very odd not having him there. But he kept such dreadful hours this holidays, it is a relief to think he will be bustling around at university - a beautiful Meadow across the road. Last year he was miles from the main hub, although he didn'tmind, this year he is right in the centre.

Last year DS was in catered halls with shared bathroom. This year he'll be in a studio flat with its own kitchenette (no kettle or toaster provided). He and I did a shopping trip to buy kitchen equipment and some other items he needed.

He only owns two pairs of jeans (both ripped) so I'm taking him clothes shopping today.

We pay for his accommodation, but other than that he has never asked for anything, nor asked for any money, and I'd like to treat him before he goes.

We're off today, I am already sick of hearing myself say "do you know where X is?" I'll take him for lunch and then let him get down to finding out what it is he forgot to pack. The kitchen and bedroom/bathroom stuff will be all there because it went straight into the garage but the stuff that went into his room may or may not make it into a case.

Sorry to hear about your dog Ursula?
When is your dh's surgery?
ds goes back next week. It's all so much less stressful this year: he has his house, a friend stored all of his stuff over the summer holidays so just one suitcase to take back.
Lectures start on 30th so he has nearly a week to sort shopping, sign up for any activities and settle into the house. One of them is bringing a tv so they will need to pay for a licence.

So sorry to hear about BS Ursula. We had our cat pts sleep a few years ago. We had her for 15 years and DS's first word was cat. He treated her like a human and talked to her as such when he was very young. Not been able to have another pet since.

DS moved back last weekend. Into the house that Jack built. It's all lovely, modern and clean as they are the first tenants but there are some unfinished bits that he and his flatmates didn't 'see' - you'd think they would realise that there were no fixings bolting one of the toilets down..... one of the things about working in the industry I do I notice this stuff - I went round with a camera and made a snagging list for them to send to the letting agency. To be fair to them it only took them 24 hours to respond and send the maintenance guy round. He has also discovered an 'acceptable' barber - one of his major stresses.....